| Probable cause affidavit: |
SUBMITTED BY: PAUL, MATTHEW 0085 (AR09111672) DID OPERATE A VEHICLE IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA AND, HAVING KNOWLEDGE THAT HE HAD BEEN DIRECTED TO STOP SUCH VEHICLE BY A DULY AUTHORIZED LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, DID WILLFULLY REFUSE OR FAIL TO STOP SUCH VEHICLE IN COMPLIANCE WITH SUCH DIRECTIVE, IN VIOLATION OF FLORIDA STATE STATUTE 316.1935(2); DID OPERATE A MOTORCYCLE WITHOUT PROPER MOTORCYCLE ENDORSEMENT, IN VIOLATION OF FLORIDA STATUTE 322.03(4); DID VIOLATE a restriction ON HIS DRIVERS LICENSE REFERENCE TIME/PURPOSE OF USE, OR any other condition or restriction (OUTSIDE MIRRORS) that the department considers necessary for driver improvement, safety, or control of drivers in this state, IN VIOLATION OF FLORIDA STATE STATUTE 322.16(1)(B). ON 103109 AT APPROXIMATELY 1530 HOURS, I WAS DISPATCHED TO THE AREA OF WEST PINE RIDGE BOULEVARD AND NORTH ELKCAM IN REFERENCE TO A HAZARDOUS MOTORCYCLE THAT WAS LAST SEEN IN THE AREA. UPON ARRIVAL, I WAS ADVISED THAT THERE WAS A DIRT BIKE DRIVING ERRATICALLY AND I BEGAN CHECKING THE AREA ON NORTH ELKCAM NORTH OF PINE RIDGE BOULEVARD. AFTER TRAVELLING APPROXIMATELY ONE HALF MILE, I TURNED AROUND IN ORDER TO GO BACK TO WEST PINE RIDGE BOULEVARD TO CHECK WESTBOUND ON WEST PINE RIDGE. AS I WAS TRAVELLING SOUTH, I OBSERVED A MOTORCYCLE THAT APPEARED TO BE A DIRT BIKE COMING TOWARDS ME IN THE AREA OF NORTH ELKCAM BOULEVARD AT ROSE HILL. I IMMEDIATELY ACTIVATED MY EMERGENCY LIGHTS PRIOR TO THE VEHICLE PASSING ME IN ORDER TO SIGNAL HIM TO STOP. I THEN WATCHED AS THE VEHICLE PASSED A CAR AND ACCELERATED NORTHBOUND. I ACTIVATED MY SIREN AND ATTEMPTED TO GET CLOSER TO THE MOTORCYCLE, WHOSE DRIVER WAS WEARING WHAT APPEARED TO BE DARK LEATHERS. I FOLLOWED THE VEHICLE NORTHBOUND ON NORTH ELKCAM WITH MY LIGHTS AND SIREN ACTIVATED AND WATCHED AS THE DRIVER OF THE MOTORCYCLE LOOKED OVER HIS SHOULDER AT ME AND CONTINUED NORTHBOUND. I WATCHED AS THE VEHICLE DROVE NORTHBOUND IN THE SOUTHBOUND LANE AND THEN DROVE ON THE WEST SHOULDER AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MILES PER HOUR (MPH). THE SPEED LIMIT IN THE AREA WAS 45 MPH. I THEN OBSERVED THE OPERATOR OF THE VEHICLE LOOK AT ME ONCE MORE AND TURNED WESTBOUND ONTO A DIRT TRAIL UNDERNEATH THE POWER LINES. THE VEHICLE THEN ACCELERATED AWAY FROM ME WHERE I FOUND THE DRIVER MOMENTS LATER, STANDING UP WITH HIS HANDS IN THE AIR. I THEN PLACED THE DRIVER, NOW KNOWN TO ME AS THE DEFENDANT, MR MATTHEW CROCKER, UNDER ARREST FOR FLEEING AND ATTEMPTING TO ELUDE. IT WAS DETERMINED THERE WAS A COMMUNICATION BARRIER, THAT BEING THE DEFENDANT IS MUTE AND MAY BE DEAF. I ATTEMPTED TO EXPLAIN TO HIM THAT HE WAS UNDER ARREST AND WHEN IT APPEARED HE DID NOT UNDERSTAND, I WROTE DOWN ON A PIECE OF PAPER IN TWO DIFFERENT MANNERISMS, TELLING HIM HE WAS UNDER ARREST FOR FLEEING AND ALLUDING. THE DEFENDANT ACTED AS IF HE DID NOT UNDERSTAND BUT DID TAKE THE PEN AND PAPER FROM ME AND WROTE ME A MESSAGE TO HAVE A PERSON NAMED JESSIE COME PICK UP HIS MOTORCYCLE. IT WAS FOUND THE DEFENDANT'S DRIVERS LICENSE HAS A RESTRICTION OF OUTSIDE MIRRORS AND THERE WERE NO OUTSIDE MIRRORS ON THE 2003 KAWASAKI THAT HE HAD BEEN OPERATING. IT WAS ALSO FOUND THE DEFENDANT'S DRIVERS LICENSE HAD NO MOTORCYCLE ENDORSEMENT. THE DEFENDANT WAS THEN HANDCUFFED, DOUBLE LOCKED AND TRANSPORTED TO CITRUS COUNTY DETENTION FACILITY FOR BOOKING AND PROCESSING, WHERE HIS BOND WAS SET AT $5,500.00 PER THE BOND SCHEDULE. THE DEFENDANT WAS ISSUED UNIFORM TRAFFIC CITATION (UTC) 1150RPA9 FOR FLEEING AND ELUDING, UTC 1427RPA8 FOR NO MOTORCYCLE ENDORSEMENT, UTC 1426RPA7 FOR OPERATING AGAINST LICENSE RESTRICTIONS (A VEHICLE WITH NO OUTSIDE MIRRORS). THE DEFENDANT'S MANDATORY TRAFFIC COURT DATE WAS SET FOR 111909 AT 1300 HOURS . *NOT-EXEMPT* |
